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Title

Forgotten Dream

Description

Everything pointed to a plentiful harvest in the fall. In the rabbit burrows the nests were full of naked, blind young; in the canyons many doe deer had two fawn; the pine trees had an abundance of new growth, which certainly forecast a plentiful supply of pine nuts. Tiny grasshoppers with green tobacco juice coursing through them, sprung high from underfoot in an effort to escape being squashed against the earth. From the myriads of hoppers we knew there would be ample survivors to roast and pound into meal to mix with serviceberries, elderberries, and wild currants when the snows came again. New life was everywhere and I waited joyously expectant for my woman to bring her newborn son for my acceptance. Oh, the spirits would be pleased this day. But my woman did not return with my son. Finally my concern and curiosity overcame me and I went to find her. As I approached her birthing place, I could see her swaying gently forward and back as she sang lamenta- tions to the bundle in her arms. My heart was sad as I realized that my son had not lived for me to teach the signs of life, the ways of hunting, or how to become a great warrior. I approached her with sympathy and con-cern, but she cowered before me. I did not stop but walked on to where I could give utterance to my sorrow. It was not until four days later that I learned my woman had deceived me. She had led me to believe that my son was dead when actually she had born a girl baby. This trickery was done to keep me from sticking my thumb down into the soft spot in the top of its head to end its life. I beat my woman to let her know she couldn't get away with such decep-tion, and I told her to keep this child of treachery out of my sight, but secretly I was proud of her and I knew she knew it. This girl baby was called Datz-shu-mi No-ni-shee, Forgotten Dream, and for as long as she lived I never acknowledged or recognized her. Katz-shu-mi No-ni-shee would soon be eleven years of age. There had been many bucks ask if they could take her for their squaw. To protect her longer than eleven years was impossible. There were nine Indians to one squaw, and an Indian without a squaw had to rustle his own food, but if he had a squaw she had to find food for him. After he and his friends had eaten all they wanted, she and her children could eat what was left. She would rather belong to the most wicked white man than to the best Indian. He would beat her unmercifully whenever he wished and kill her if he felt like it. The tribe was again on their way to the Timpanogos to fish. We camped near Fairview and on Thistle Flats. On the second day an angry buck came to me and demanded to know where Katz-shu-mi No-ni-shee was. I went to my woman and confronted her. Terrified she explained that she had wanted her daughter to be taught and protected like white girls were, and had given her to Elvira Cox in Fairview. I went crazy I was so infuriated. She had no right to give this squaw away. She was valuable property and it was my right to sell her to who- -22-